Wolfsburg 2–0 FC Barcelona: Turin, here we come!

FC Barcelona may have been beaten for the first time this season, with Wolfsburg doing it on the day with two second half goals, but it doesn’t really matter. Because thanks to the four-goal cushion earned in the first leg at Camp Nou, they win the semi-final 5-3 on aggregate and march triumphantly into the Champions League Final, to be played on May 21 in Turin. 

That’s a third final appearance in just four years and the chance to retain the title won in Gothenburg last season.

Officious first half

Starting with same eleven that won the first leg 5-1, Barça’s intention was to get an early goal to as good as write off any chance of a Wolfsburg comeback. But despite dominating with long possessions and looking very comfortable on the ball, it took a long time before they were able to create any real danger for home stopper Schult.

Wolfsburg had learned their lesson from the first leg and defended deep, meaning the only ways through for the Catalans were from set pieces. Irene Paredes and Ana Maria Crnogorcevic had the best of the chances, but the first half ended scoreless.

She-Wolves score twice  

The Germans were insistent that they weren’t going to go out of Europe without a fight, and following the restart, two powerfully struck goals from outside of the area, from the boots of Wassmuth and Roord, gave the home fans plenty to cheer about.

Barça refused to let the unfamiliar situation of playing catch-up affect their composure. An onslaught on the German goal ensued, but no matter how much they gritted their teeth, there was no goal to come.

Indeed, there were also moments when Wolfsburg could have scored a third, which would have really set things up for a tense finale, but the Barça defence stood their ground, swallowed up all the pressure and battled on to the final whistle and the joy, albeit in defeat, of making even more history for this fantastic team.

Turin, here we come!

MATCH STATS

Wolfsburg: Schult, Wilms (Bremer, min. 85), Hendrich, Janssen, Rauch, Jónsdóttlr, Roord (Poop, min. 62), Lattwein, Huth, Wassmuth, Pajor.

FC Barcelona: Paños, Rölfo (Leila, min. 65), Maria León, Irene Paredes, Torrejón, Guijarro, Aitana Bonmatí (Ingrid Engen, min. 84), Alèxia Putellas, Graham Hansen (Claudia Pina, min. 84), Hermoso (Oshoala, min. 59), Crnogorcevic (Mariona, min. 59).

Goals: 1 – 0, Wassmmuth (min. 47); 2 – 0, Roord (min. 59).

Referee: Cheryl Foster. Yellow cards for Rauch, Lattwein and Huth (all Wolfsburg).